Cheeky little shits!

[magic_pea]

I just had two little boys, who must have been about 9 or 10, knock at the door and just sing "We wish you a merry christmas".

When they finished I stared at them for about 10 seconds and said "You want something for that don't you. What do you want."

The chubby one remained silent, but the smaller paler one decided to jump in.

"Anyfin' really" he said.


I searched the kitchen, and deciding that their performance (and sheer cheek) wasn't up to par, gave them 'Go Ahead' diet chocolate bar to share (it's about the size of your index finger)

"This is all I could find" I said, slamming the door.

Cheeky little shits.



Anyone else been bugged by Christmas carollers yet?

[Mr stabby]

Not exactly Christmas Carollers but last night at work a bunch of about 10 drunken girls sat outside the shop for 30-40 minutes singing Xmas songs. They didn't get anything of course, but it livened up my dull night.

[Fish Finger]

Not yet, but last year some girl sang "we wish you a merry christmas".

I was silent for a minute afterwards (I think I was ill, not thinking properly), and all I said was "Thanks" and slammed the door.

Then I went to bed.

[esquilax]

I just had two little boys, who must have been about 9 or 10

:D I love taking things out of context.

[LeoZ]

ask them if they know silent night then slam the door.

[magic_pea]

I might have to try that LeoZ :)

I don't know why I gave them anything to be honest, they only sung one line!


Perhaps when they finished on "We wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year" I should have said "Why thankyou!" and closed the door.

[CodingTim]

Now that is ridiculous: it's all very well the shops deciding that Christmas is in fact a festival of commerce*, but we don't need small children growing up with the idea that carols were invented in order to make a bit of money, with as little effort as possible.

Now, if some children came round, sang something (nice!) and then didn't expect anything, but did so for the "Christmas cheer", then that would be good. Perhaps I would give them a mince pie - or maybe some money - and everyone would be happy. However, when people turn up at your door and sing rather poorly, and expect to be paid, simply because they turned up at your door (they seem to think they're guaranteed some money out of pity or something) then I must disapprove.

I'm not trying to be cold-hearted here, but I don't particularly like this obvious financial motive behind [some] carol singers' visits. Maybe if they sang the whole carol, or at least a verse, I would be more willing to give them some "funding" :p, but one line!?**. Oh dear, magic_pea. You did the right thing by giving them no money.


*Actually, I don't think it is "all very well" - there's nothing wrong with celebration, but people seem to forget why the word "Christ" appears in "Christmas", to put it one way.

**I realise that the more traditional and more often-used approach is to sing more than one line, but I will dwell on the "one-line thing" for emphasis, heh.

[magic_pea]

Fuck off would I give any high-quality caroller let alone some 9 year old soon-to-be chavs from the council flats round the corner some money for their singing!

Maybe a bit of food, but they'll be the next stars of X-Factor before I reach into my pocket to fuel those money-hungry little monsters.

[The Visioneer]

Ask them to sing a real Christmas carol, as We Wish You A Merry Christmas is far from it.

[Mr Salek]

I'm disappointed, this was your chance to shout "Uh oh, sarcasm!"

[Ben Stiller]

You have to film any more carollers and put them in the next episode. :p

[Zhyl]

I ask them to sing something else:

A rather shitty winter's evening and Zhyl is rudely disturbed by a ring on the doorbell. He investigates to find a couple of precotious chavs outside.

Chavs: (mumbled, out of tune and out of time with each other) We wish you a merry christmas we wish you a merry christmas, we wish you a merry christmas and a happy new year.

Zhyl: Do you know "away in a manger".

Chavs: (confused) What?

Zhyl: I'm only going to give you something if you sing away in a manger.

Chavs: (no idea what to sing) Away in a manger.... dunno the rest.

Zhyl: (sighs) Here's 10p now piss off.

True story.

[terrorbite]

If people want to sing carols, they shouldn't knock on your front door. They should sing them out in the street, and if people want to go out and give them money, they can do. That way, at least it seems like they're singing for singings sake and not for financial gain.

Almost like halloween, christmas carolling has lost all its meaning these days and is now just an excuse for kids to go around begging for money. I certainly wouldn't give them anything.

Bah humbug indeed.

[Macca]

I remember when I went carolling with my friend steve back in the day, we wore tinsel as scarves did insane dancing and sang REALLY loud.

We didn't ask for anything and if someone looked like they didn't want us there we'd simply wish them a merry christmas and leave.

We made a coulpe of quid from some really nice older people, got a few mince pies, and generally just had a bit of a laugh!

These days it's not the same.

*shakes head*

[cyber_turnip]

Reminds me of the time some of my friends went trick or treating at Easter... and people actually gave them stuff.

[Cactusman]

Carollers are really annoying, all they're doing is begging really, like Hallowe'eners. Just more Christmassy.

[kotu]

Christmas carols are ****. Listen to techno

[katt]

no one goes door to door trying to sing carols in the states. people would think you were a nutter if you did that

edit: at least in the places ive lived here

[captain canuck]

i haven't been bugged by carollers yet. nobody really bothers with that tradition in my neighborhood... either one of them, really. not even when it's right up close to Christmas, i.e. eve or something.

we do get stationary ones that hang out in the Village in my municipality in Victoria (Oak Bay), but that's usually to be close to the Starbucks that provides free samples of the warm drink variety.

there was a group last week there; a local girls choir of some sort. i'd have said they were from the local high school; but as a former student there i know all groups organized to do 'busking' type stuff, no matter the season, are required to wear the school colours. and this group didn't.

[El Kabong]

no one goes door to door trying to sing carols in the states. people would think you were a nutter if you did that

edit: at least in the places ive lived here

I spent a Christmas with family in Rochester, New York a few years back, and carollers came by. It was kind of disturbing, as they were clearly begging, and wouldn't leave until we gave them money.

On the other hand, I lived in a really rural area for a while here in the big ol' frozen chunk of land we call Canada, and for three years in a row a big group of people went up and down the streets sitting on a trailer being towed by a tractor. They'd stop in front of a house, sing a carol, and keep going, and they just did it for the joy of it. They wouldn't accept the money, so my Mom sent them out some hot cocoa. It was nice.:)

[magic_pea]

I just remembered one acceptable Christmas-enduced door-knocker who comes to my door every year a few days befor Christmas.

About 5 men run down my street in luminous jackets with collection boxes and knock on doors - meanwhile, a small cottage on wheels drives down my road, and in the top there is a man in a Santa costume waving from the chimney.

It's pretty fucking cool, and I've never seen anything like it, so I always give them something.

[edit] WTF! The little fat one from the same duo that visited the other day came back on his OWN!

"We wish you a me-"
"Oi! You were here the other day!"
"No I wasn't"
"Yes you were! With your friend!"
"No I wasn't"
"You were"
"I wasn't"
"You were!"
"I wasn't"
"Look I'm not giving you anything else"

As I closed the door, he continued his oh-so-convincing act by shaking his head while he walked away saying "I wasn't..."

He was also playing with some coins in the palm of his hand, which means that he'd been working the neighbourhood again :mad:

Bastard. If he comes back I will actually say "fuck off!" and slam the door before he can say a word.

[terrorbite]

I just remembered one acceptable Christmas-enduced door-knocker who comes to my door every year a few days befor Christmas.

About 5 men run down my street in luminous jackets with collection boxes and knock on doors - meanwhile, a small cottage on wheels drives down my road, and in the top there is a man in a Santa costume waving from the chimney.

It's pretty fucking cool, and I've never seen anything like it, so I always give them something.
Wow. You've just reminded me about something I totally forgot. That used to happen near my house every year too (but they stopped doing it, or so I think) ages ago which is why I'd forgotten about it. It was quite exciting and christmassy seeing a float driving around with santa, and music etc.

[kotu]

Bastard. If he comes back I will actually say "fuck off!" and slam the door before he can say a word.
:p